Maker: Asai (click to see more by this maker)Item num: 90554Blade length: 8.25 in.Total length: 14.40 in.Blade height (at heel): 2.00 in.Blade thickness (near bolster): 0.12 in.Item weight: 6.08 oz.Shipment weight: 9.5 oz.Blade: San mai with stainless steel and an aogami super carbon steel core, Rc 63Bolster: Pakkawood ferruleHandle: Octagonal macassar ebonyDescription: Renowned bladesmith Masami Asai passed away in the summer of 2014. He will be greatly missed – as a person, an artist, and one of the truly great knifemakers of Japan. Before his passing, his apprentice, Yamamoto, was given the right to continue to make knives under the Asai name. We are working with Yamamoto-san to determine which knife lines will be continued. We regret that this means that only those knives that are in stock can be ordered at this time.
The gyuto is modeled after the French pattern chef's knife. Longer and slimmer than the santoku, it is well suited to slicing and chopping -- an ideal general purpose chef's knife. The long blade is needed for the sawing motion required to slice meats and vegetables while the tall profile give plenty of finger clearance over a cutting board.
Each of Asai's Hayabusa knives is individually hand-forged beginning with an aogami super (blue super) carbon steel core (hagane). The smaller crystalline size of this carbon steel results in superior edge holding when compared to nearly any other steel. Many knifemakers and users feel that aogami super is among the best carbon steels used on kitchen knives today. At 1.4-1.5% carbon and .3-.5% chromium, aogami super combines limited rust resistance with carbon steel performance. The central core is surrounded by two layers of stainless steel with a thin layer of nickel set in between to prevent carbon migration during forging. This time consuming process creates a knife with outstanding edge holding and a higher level of corrosion resistance than pure carbon blades. In addition, it creates a unique, attractive visual line between the layers -- which gets all the more dramatic with use. The blade is distal tapered for optimal balance and has an extremely thin, keen edge for the highest performance. Because this knife is forged from carbon steel, we recommend using camellia oil to avoid rust.The "Wa" style handle is octagon in shape and is sculpted from macassar ebony with a pakkawood ferrule. This natural, ambidextrous handle is easy to grip and lasts a lifetime. Octagonal handles are very popular among professional chefs because they are extremely comfortable even when used for hours at a time. Like other kitchen knives, this knife should not be put in a dishwasher.Availability: Not currently available